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NASA Exploring 8 New Space Expeditions
coondoggie writes "NASA is trying to decide among eight space exploration missions that include further exploring Venus and comet composition as well landing on an asteroid or examining the space around Jupiter. The space agency today began accepting solicitations for these space exploration opportunities and will ultimately pick one of them to begin perusing in 2009 with a launch date targeted at 2018. The solicitations and ultimate expedition are part of NASA's New Frontiers program, which has as its main objective to explore the solar system with medium-class spacecraft missions that will conduct high-quality, focused scientific investigations, NASA said. The first New Frontiers mission was selected in 2003 and will result in the launch of Juno, a Jupiter polar orbiter mission set to blast off in 2011."
... to the 5th grade class that I teach. It's unanimous, NASA should go to Uranus and look for Klingons.
Some things never change.
If we discover a large meteor heading straight towards Earth, we might only have a few months to get a rocket up and detonate the target off its course. All other missions pale in comparison to one that could save humanity. I don't think we should focus on particular missions within our solar system, so much as the ability to launch a successful ground-to-asteroid mission within weeks, if need be...
Some frequencies go right through clouds beautifully. That's why you see radio telescopes operating on cloudy days.
Not enough solar energy to warm a blimp that way, but radioactive heat sources do nicely, and yes people have studied hot hydrogen balloons / blimps on Jupiter, Saturn, etc. They seem to work ok, if you stay out of the regions with high wind shear (flying a blimp into a hurricane is a bad life path choice...)
Reactors are better, but little radioactive heater units will work in a pinch.
Detroit already did come up with a good electric car. But, in a typically brilliant move for GM, they decided to cancel the program when it was still in the lease-only stage, revoked all the leases, refused to sell the leased cars to the many people who actually wanted to buy one, sent every one of the cars into a scrapyard compactor, and promptly canceled all further electric/hybrid development plans to focus on SUV's. This stunning lack of forward-thinking is just one of the many reasons why GM is in Washington today begging for a handout while smarter companies like Toyota are taking over the auto industry.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.